Firework
by Rac4hel414
Summary: Just ignite the light, and let it shine, like the fourth of July. 'Cause Brie, you're a firework. Co-written with MrsSt.CloudxToxBe


**A/N: This is just a random oneshot/songfic. I am working on a full length story but I have exams and coursework and I'm not sure when that will be posted.**

**Anyway, about this oneshot...It's co-written with We both love 'Firework' by Katy Perry. We hope you enjoy it because it was pretty fun to write it :)

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Firework by Katy Perry

The bell rang, signalling the start of the torturous hour period that other students called 'lunch'. Other students. I made no qualms about how I was different. I knew I was. Some, namely my parents, teachers and best friend, deemed it a good thing. But when said best friend was my only friend, I didn't think there was much good about it. After all, there are only so many basketball games I can attend where my only friend is out on the court.

That sounds weird, even to me. The resident nerd was best friends with East High's golden boy. I blame our parents. It's easier if I can blame someone else.

As I was methodically packing my books and papers into my bag, Troy Bolton hopped onto the desk in front of mine. I glanced up at him, holding in a shiver of revulsion. Troy was nowhere near as tidy as me. He didn't own a bag. He carried his books around in his arms with different papers poking from the covers, inevitably becoming dog-eared with time and carelessness. But, I suppose, that's why we got on so well. Polar opposites.

"How'd you do on the test?" he asked excitedly. I glanced at him again, knowing he already knew the answer. We had the same routine after every test. I'm not sure why he always asked. He once said, while I was quizzing him about it, that he liked watching my face as I told him what grade I got. Apparently I looked like a little kid at Christmas.

I smiled brightly up at him. "An A. I would've been set for an A+ but, you know, the debate."

Troy rolled his eyes. "Well, what can I say to that? It's just a debate. And if you'd talk a little more, said what you felt, you'd have got that A+."

I considered it as I stood up, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "It's not worth it, Wildcat. I stutter around other people and it ends up horribly humiliating. It's not worth it."

Troy jumped off of the desk and slung an arm around my shoulders. "El, you're gonna be one kickass doctor when you've graduated from Stanford and I'll be right there beside you. But you've got to talk."

I shook my head as he began leading me to our secret spot. Somewhere only we hung out. No one else. "Nobody wants to hear what I have to say. People get bored of me criticising facts and grammar and whatnot."

Troy winked at me. "Not me."

"You're an idiot, though," I muttered, elbowing him gently in the chest. I tilted my head to send him a teasing smile.

"Hoops," a voice hollered down the hall.

Troy and I turned to see a very energetic, happy and sometimes annoying African-American running towards us. He skidded to a halt and grinned at Troy. "Hoops," he exclaimed breathlessly. "Hi Gabi," he murmured a greeting.

I waved. "Hi Chad," I whispered, then looked back down at my shoes.

"Are you coming to the lunchtime scrimmage the guys and I are having?" he asked Troy.

Troy quirked an eyebrow.

Chad looked annoyed. Not at Troy or me but at himself for not guessing the answer. "Again?"

Troy gave his friend an exaggerated smile. "What can I say? She's irresistible."

I'm not irresistible. At least, not in the way that many people would think that Troy meant. Troy didn't like me in _that_ way. He couldn't. It would be like transgressing a law of nature. It's practically impossible for a jock to fall in love with a nerd, whether they're best friends or not. It's not in the wiring of his male, egotistical brain to see me as attractive.

And, yet, unfortunately, it was the opposite way for me. Troy was overall a great guy. He got good greats (if only to stay on the basketball team and to get into college), he was genuinely nice to everybody and 'everybody' included me. More importantly, he actually enjoyed my company. I had stopped trying to analyse his motives when we started high school. And to top it all off, he had gorgeous dirty blonde hair, a terribly athletic body, a face like it was carved by angels, and the most beautiful blue eyes in the world.

Not many people had a definition for 'perfect'. I did.

Chad shoved Troy's shoulder in a joking manner. He turned to me, shaking his head in mock dismay. "Miss Montez, you're stealing our captain."

Chad was easy company. He was someone I could talk to without judgement and without attachments. He never asked why I didn't talk to him without Troy being there and that's the way I liked it. "I didn't steal him. He followed me. I'm getting him done for harassment."

Chad smiled in response. Troy's motives for wanting to be my friend were a mystery to everybody at East High. "Just make sure he's innocent until proven guilty. We need our captain for the championships on Friday. And, no doubt, he's taking you to the after party afterwards, right?"

Troy punched Chad's shoulder. I watched with amusement as they proceeded to have what seemed to be a telepathic conversation. Troy then put his arm back around me and smiled at me. "Come on, El. Chad has to practice his free throws, right?"

Chad rolled his eyes but nodded. "Yeah, yeah. But, I bet the team won't be the only ones scoring this Friday night."

Troy went to punch him but Chad dodged and ran down the hall. "Friends, eh? Who'd have them?"

I frowned as Troy began leading me to our garden again. "Then what am I?"

Troy shrugged. "How the hell should I know? You're the freaky genius girl." He pulled open a yellow door and we began making our way up the stairs.

"You're my wildcat," I offered. "You know that. Apart from my dad and my brothers, you're the number one guy in my life." I dropped my bag at the top of the stairs and wandered over to the banister, looking out over Albuquerque.

He stood next to me and touched my hand. "But?" he asked.

I could feel his eyes on me but I refused to look at him. "You understand me. It makes me wonder if you're the number one person in my life." I sighed. "No one treats me the way you do."

He squeezed my hand. "That's what wildcats do."

"I'm serious," I protested as I went to sit on the bench.

He sat down beside me. "Me, too," he whispered. "I understand you but you understand me. It's the way we've always worked, you and me. Ever since we met when we were five."

"I blame our parents," I muttered, smoothing out my skirt.

Troy chuckled and nodded. "Makes you feel better to blame someone?"

I nodded. "Of course. If I can blame someone for being stuck with you," I teased, nudging his shoulder.

"El, we'll be okay, I promise. Stop worrying," he exclaimed.

I shrugged. "Troy, you're basketball captain and student body president. You don't belong with me."

"I don't want to belong, El. When have I ever done someone because it was expected of me?"

I looked at Troy and cracked a smile. "Never."

"Exactly," he murmured. "Who gives a shit about what they think?"

"Me! Well, okay, I don't. But," I stuttered.

"But, nothing," he sighed "Just stop stressing. Come with me." He smiled, standing up. He stretched out his arms, pulling me up when I took his hands.

"Where are we going?" I asked, following him down the steps and further out onto the roof.

"You ask too many questions," he muttered, lacing our fingers.

"Remember when we first met?" I smiled "That was about the fourth thing you said to me."

"I remember it well, El." He chuckled

* * *

"_Gabi, go play, sweetheart." Maria Montez smiled down at her five year old daughter. She watched as the little Latino ran off towards the play ground, her curls bouncing around._

_She kept an eye on Gabriella, who was now climbing the steps to go down the slide, as she walked over to a park bench that was currently occupied by a twenty-something year old, auburn haired lady. She sat down beside the lady, crossing her legs, as she made sure her skirt was fixed. _

"_Little darlings, aren't they?" The lady smiled, glancing over at Maria quickly before her attention went back to the kids on the play ground. _

"_Sure are," Maria laughed. "Mi hija, be careful!" she called, watching as Gabriella nearly slipped over, head first into the sand. _

_She watched as a young boy caught Gabriella. He had little basketball shorts on and a Lakers jersey; obviously quite the basketball fan. "That'd be Troy. Coming along at the right time." The lady laughed. "Sorry, I'm Lucille." She smiled._

"_Maria," Maria replied politely. "Is that your son?" _

"_Yeah," Lucille murmured. "I could pick him out in a crowd with my eyes closed." She laughed. _

_Troy Bolton had been watching the little girl, hearing when her mother had called out to her. He was only a few footsteps away, and luckily he was close enough to catch her before she fell. Once she was dusted off, he introduced himself, hand shake and all._

"_It's nice to meet you." He smiled, his bright blue eyes shining. _

"_Why did you catch me? You could've let me fall like the other boys," Gabriella whispered, gripping her sundress. _

"_I wouldn't let you fall," Troy mumbled. "That's mean."_

"_Why are you being nice to me?" Gabriella frowned. No other boys were nice to her. They were mean and had cooties!_

"_Why do you ask so many questions?" He laughed. _

"_Because I do." She nodded defiantly. "Why can't I ask questions?"_

"_Well if you get to ask questions, I want to ask you a question." _

_She pondered the young boy's request, nodding slowly after a minute. "Okay," she whispered. "You can ask me something."_

"_Will you come and play with me? I'm building a sandcastle." He smiled brightly, showing his white teeth, one of the front ones was missing. "I'd love for you to help me finish it."_

"_Why would you want my help?" Gabriella questioned. "I'm not good at building sandcastles."_

"_Come on!" He smiled, taking her hand as he led her over to a corner of the play ground. There was a spade and bucket there. He'd obviously been busy building already. "It's easy, I'll help you." _

_Gabriella sat down, her sundress sitting around her like a little case, protecting her legs from the breeze. She watched as Troy shovelled sand, with his bright blue spade, into his bright blue bucket. He had his tongue sticking out, a sign of concentration._

"_It looks pretty easy." Gabriella murmured _

"_It is! You try," Troy encouraged, sitting beside her. He put the spade in her hand. He put his little hand over hers, helping her to shovel the sand and pour it into the bucket. "And once it's full you pat it down like this." He laughed to himself, patting the sand with the spade. "And tip it out!"_

_Gabriella watched as Troy poured the bucket upside down, patting the bottom off the bucket before he pulled it up carefully. "Wow," Gabriella murmured. "It did work!" She smiled at him._

_Troy smiled back, sitting the spade down. "You have a gorgeous smile!" He laughed, kissing her cheek. _

_Gabriella blushed "Thank you," she whispered. "You're very handsome." She giggled "I have to go to my Mommy now, bye Troy!" She waved, getting up and running over to Maria. _

"_Did you have fun sweetheart?" Maria smiled, running her hand through her daughter's locks. _

"_I did! That boy, Troy, showed me how to make a sandcastle!" She beamed excitedly. _

"_Did you like playing with him?" _

"_Very much so, Mama." _

"_Good," Maria smiled "Because, we're going around to his house for dinner tomorrow night."

* * *

_

"That was the best dinner I'd had in years." Troy smiled, sitting on the little concrete seat that was surrounding the garden on the roof.

"You were five," I teased lightly, sitting beside him.

"It's probably the only dinner I'll remember when I'm old and grey," he joked.

I smiled, my gaze focused on my skirt. "Same," I whispered

"El?" Troy asked "What's on your mind?"

_More like _who's _on my mind. _"Nothing. Why do you ask?" I asked, feigning innocence.

"You just seem distant, somehow." He sighed, turning to face me fully.

"I'm not distant," I said, smiling reassuringly. "Now who's worrying?" I laughed, lightly shoving him. "I've just been thinking a lot about some- stuff."

"You were gonna say some_one_," Troy teased, nudging my shoulder. "I know you, Gabriella Montez."

"Unfortunately," I murmured, rolling my eyes. "But, I wasn't."

"You were." He sighed, his tone suddenly changing. "Don't lie to me, El."

"Troy," I shook my head. "Don't start," I frowned. "Please."

"El, you're my best friend. Who is it?" Troy asked eagerly.

"No one," I answered simply. I couldn't tell him! There's no way in hell I was confessing how I felt about him.

"El," he whined, his head resting on my shoulder. "Is it Chad?"

"Ew! No." I shuddered "He's more like a distant cousin."

"Zeke?"

"Brother," I replied instantly. Zeke was the guy I went to when I wanted to lay back and just talk... He was the one person who knew my feelings for Troy. Because, let's face it, my feelings were the one thing I couldn't talk to Troy about.

"Jason?"

"Troy! Drop it," I exclaimed, standing up. I headed back towards the garden. I couldn't be bothered to listen to his questions anymore.

"El, its Jason, isn't it?" he asked. He was following me, I could hear his voice getting closer, his footsteps louder. "Because that's totally cool. He's a good guy. I'll admit I kind of pictured your boyfriend as someone with a higher IQ but, you know, he's a good guy."

"No, it's not Jason," I muttered, walking up the steps to grab my bag.

"Just tell me." He groaned, following me up the steps, two at a time. He ended up in front of me, stopping me from passing. "Don't make me get down on my knees."

"I said drop it." I walked past him, pausing before I picked up my bag. "What do you want me to say?"

"Just tell me who it is. I'm your best friend. Aren't I?" he asked quietly.

I sighed and turned to him. "Of course you are. You know that. I just..." I wrung my hands, trying to find the words to express myself. "What do I do? Walk up to the poor guy, professing my love to him? I'm not an expert but I'm pretty sure relationships don't start that way."

Troy ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair. "El, I want you to be happy. We're going to college. He could be going anywhere. You need to tell him."

I looked down at my feet. "Isn't that a reason that I shouldn't, though?" I looked at him. "You know that Jenny and Dean broke up after two months apart. My brother was heartbroken."

Troy laughed. "Jenny had moved to Minnesota to be with a guy she'd been cheating with for a year. Broke it to Dean after two months of being there. Over the phone."

I shrugged. "Even so. It seems pointless to start dating and then move apart from each other."

Troy paused and sat back down on the bench. He rubbed his hands together and looked up at me. "I don't want you to regret this. Consider telling him, at least. Can you promise me that much?"

I nodded reluctantly and sat down beside him. "I'll consider."

"Good." He took my hand in his. "Go to the after party with me?"

I smiled and nodded. "Of course."

* * *

I paced up and down, wringing my hands. Why was I even contemplating doing this? It was absurd. It could throw Troy completely off his game and then East High losing the championships would all be my fault. Troy would lose his scholarship to the University of California in Berkely and I'd be to blame. And I'd lose my best friend. So much for honesty.

Alright, so there wasn't a hundred percent chance that would happen, but it was more than likely and that was the worst case scenario. But I did have to acknowledge how messed up things could be if I decided to do this.

I stopped my pacing and looked through the window of the doors to the gyms. Both East and West High cheerleaders were loading the crowds with pep and the cheers were deafening even from out in the hallway. I turned away, staring accusingly at the door to the men's locker room. Troy was in there with all of his friends, getting ready and here I was, standing outside the locker room wearing one of Troy's practice jerseys over a tank top and a pair of capris pants. He claimed that having me wearing one of his jerseys brought him luck. If it did, I felt proud that I was partly responsible for it.

I wrung my hands again. I should just go into the gym and take my seat. That's what I should do. But Troy's words kept ringing in my head. I needed to get over my phobia of talking to people. Alright, and he was right about telling the guy, coincidentally him, how I felt before college started. It needed to be me. On the off chance that Troy felt the same way, even I knew that our theoretical relationship wouldn't be the same if he asked me out.

It had to be me.

While I was suffering my inner turmoil, Jack, Troy's father and the basketball coach, strolled out of the locker room, straightening his tie. He always scrubbed up in a smart suit and tie. I think that was more Principal Matsui's doing, rather than of Jack's own free will. He looked up and smiled at me. "Gabi? What are you doing out here?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "I don't know what I'm doing at all."

Jack frowned and touched my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

I smiled and nodded. "I'll be fine. I just need a minute."

Jack frowned. "Should I get Troy?"

"No," I exclaimed hurriedly. I coughed. "No. I'm fine. Honestly."

Jack nodded, obviously not convinced _at all_. "Okay, well, I'm just in here if you need anything."

I smiled and watched him disappear into the gym. My smiled faded as I turned back to the locker room door. Taking a deep breath and gathering what courage I had, I stepped forward, pushing the door open. I walked further into the locker room, pushing the half-naked guys into the wall as they wolf whistled at me. Usually I'd blush and run in the opposite direction. But this needed to be done.

I spotted Chad's afro and headed in that general direction. He was shirtless, leaning against the row of lockers. He was talking to Troy who was sat on the bench running down the middle. He was shirtless, too. Usually I'd be admiring his beautiful eagle wings. But I wasn't. I was too busy trying not to throw up. I forced myself not to glance around at the basketball team who were all sniggering and staring and being the usual egotistical males.

Chad gestured at me with his eyes. "Dude," he murmured.

Troy suddenly turned around and leapt up, placing a hand over my eyes. "El," he hissed. "Get out of here."

I swatted his hand away. "Stop that. I'm not looking at them. I'm looking at you."

"Can't this wait? I mean, the game," he mumbled quietly.

I shook my head fiercely. "No. I need to tell you this." I took a deep breath. "Troy, I love you."

Troy smiled, nudging my arm. "I love you, too, El."

Chad groaned, banging his head against the lockers. He stepped forward to hit the back of Troy's head. "Dude."

Troy rubbed his head and turned back to me. "El?"

"I used to love you. Now I'm _in_ love with you. You were right. I need to get over my phobia of speaking up and I needed to tell you how I feel before the game. I'm really sorry if this makes you awkward but you've got to go out there and kick West High's butt, okay?" I leaned up and kissed his cheek. I gave him a small smile before I turned around and made my way back through the locker room. The other guys were now silent.

I stepped outside and took a deep breath before I went into the gym, sitting where I always sat. Front row. Next to Lucille, Troy's mother. I gave her a weak smile. "Hi Lucy."

She greeted me with a hug. "Are you alright, Gabi?"

I nodded, turning to the court where the cheerleaders were doing their routines. "I'm fine."

* * *

I looked out over the party Troy was supposedly 'hosting'. It seemed like the entire school was crammed into Troy's back yard. I could see Maria, my mother, showing my Stanford acceptance letter to Lucille. Again. Greg, my dad, was 'helping' Jack with the barbeque. Until Zeke came along and really showed how to do it. Music was playing and the cheerleaders were dancing, the basketball players were inevitably watching said cheerleaders. And I was sat alone in Troy's tree house. It had been built by Troy and Jack a matter of weeks after we met each other. It held so many memories of just me and Troy. No one else. And now it was possibly over for good.

Instead of waiting by Troy's truck like we'd agreed so that we could drive to the party together, I caught a ride with Jack and Lucille, never really giving them an answer when they asked why Troy wasn't giving me a ride. The longer I put off the inevitable conversation the better. But at least Troy knew now. That was the important thing.

The good news was that East High had won by ten points. Troy had the winning shot, as always, and the first thing he did was look right over at me. But that didn't mean anything at all.

I looked down at the jersey I was wearing. I liked wearing Troy's clothes. They smelt nice and were warm and comfortable. Sometimes I looked cold just so that he would put his jacket around me.

But that wouldn't happen anymore.

"Hey, is this spot taken?" a familiar voice asked.

I fiddled with the hem of the jersey. "No."

Troy sat next to me, our feet dangling over the decking of the tree house. He had changed into a pair of jeans, white shirt and a red Wildcat jacket. He stared a head for a while. "Why didn't you wait for me?" he whispered as he turned to face me.

I looked up at him and shrugged. "It seemed like the right thing to do." I paused. "Congratulations on the game, by the way."

He smiled. "Thanks. It meant a lot for you to be there."

I shook my head to myself. "You know I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Troy's hand slowly snuck into my lap and he interlaced our fingers together. "El, look at me," he whispered.

I lifted my head and cautiously looked into his cobalt eyes. "Yeah?"

"What you said in the locker room..." He paused, furrowing his brow. "Why'd you say it?"

I rolled my eyes and stood up, walking into the actual house. I stood, facing away from him, knowing he was stood behind me. I could almost feel the intoxicating body heat emanating from him. "Why do you think I said it?" Tears gathered in my eyes and I turned to him. "Why else does a girl who never says how she feels, who pretty much never talks to anyone but you, goes into the boys' locker room before a basketball game and tells you that..." I sighed and shrugged. "I'm hopelessly in love with you."

"For how long?" He seemed almost blasé about how his 'best friend' just confessed her unconditional love him.

I frowned. "That's all you have to say?"

He shrugged. "I want to know."

"Maybe two years? That's when I realised, at least. I only realised because I couldn't stand the thought of you being with Joanne. Remember?" I murmured.

Troy cracked a smile. "When I dated her, you were never around."

I shrugged. "And now you know why. Look, I'm sorry, okay? But what you said really got to me. I need to start talking and I needed to tell you before we graduated. And maybe I shouldn't have done it in the locker room and in front of all of your-"

I couldn't help breaking off. Because halfway through my psychotic tirade, I felt a pair of lips on mine. Two familiar arms were now wrapped tightly around my waist, pulling me closer to his body until there was no gap between us. By instinct, my arms wrapped around his neck. It was like a dream. I had spent two years wondering what kissing Troy would be like and here I was, kissing Troy for what seemed like forever in the very treehouse where we'd spend most of our childhood.

I pulled back breathlessly, inhaling some much needed oxygen. I blushed profusely and rested my forehead on Troy's chest. We didn't speak for a while and I revelled in the feeling of Troy's hand running through my hair; his other arm was still wrapped securely around me.

"Well, that's good," he murmured.

I frowned and pulled back. "What are you talking about?"

He gave me an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "Oh come on, El. I've finally found a way to shut you up. Even before you overcame your fear, when you started talking about biology or math or even a TV show, you never shut up about it."

I blushed again. "I can't help it."

Troy shrugged. "Even so. It's an excuse to kiss you."

I frowned, stepping away from him. "You want to be with me."

He chuckled to himself and pulled me back to him. "El, I've been dropping hints for three years. I went out with girls in that time to make you jealous."

I frowned. "That is a terrible way to get a girl's attention."

He laughed and leaned down to kiss me. "It obviously worked, though, right?"

"Hoops," Chad called from the bottom of the tree.

Troy groaned. "Seriously? Way to ruin the moment." He took my hand and led me out onto the decking to look down to where Chad and the rest of the team were standing. "Chad, what do you want? I'm busy."

Chad pulled a face. "I don't want to know your definition of 'busy'. The guys and I are going to act out the game. We need you, captain."

Troy shook his head and pulled me into his arms. "No can do. I'm busy. With my new girlfriend. Go away."

He watched as the team went away, grumbling to themselves. He smiled and turned back to me. "See what can happen when you just let go and say what's on your mind?"

I nodded slowly. "I get it."

He brushed some of my hair behind my ear. "I mean it, El. You don't have to feel like a house of cards all of the time because you're not. You've just got to believe that you're a firework. All of the people who laugh at you will be feeling kinda foolish when they're paying you to cure their disease."

"A firework?" I whispered, never really thinking of myself as something which holds everyone's attention before.

He nodded enthusiastically. "A firework. And a fucking perfect one at that. El, I love you, too." He leaned down and kissed me.

I guess, being a firework is pretty awesome when this is the result.


End file.
